Archive of Our Own ^beta

It's way too late into the night and Kan and Thua are still working on their school project. They planned to finish it today but they hadn't anticipated for it to be so time consuming. Kan's head is smoking and all he wants is to go to bed and sleep for five days straight.

Being a prefect at Suppalo High School came with many responsibilities and normally, he was spent when school finished friday. But when Thua asked him to just finish their project so that they could have a quiet weekend, how could Kan say no to that?

It was a good plan and it's not like Kan doesn't enjoy Thua's company. On the contrary. Without the prying eyes of their classmates, no worry about what they might say or think when the two interact, Kan really likes spending time with Thua.
With him, it had aalways been easy. The just click, even though they usually hang around in different friend circles and have quite different personalities. Them together, that had somehow always made sense to Kan.

But now, Kan really wishes they could just spend some time together without having to finish this stupid project. Thua's plan was good in theory, but the later it got, the more frustrated Kan became.

Now, they're still not finished and lazing around in his bed all of Saturday and Sunday still seems too far away for Kan’s liking. Now, it’s getting close to the point that they can basically turn off the lights, early-morning sun filtering in through the window. The sky slowly turning blue, mocking their still unfinished school work.

When Kan notices the blue light, he makes the decision to just fuck this project and get some sleep. He has the creeping suspicion that both his and Thua's brains are severely overused and will work much better after they sleep off some of the previous week, anyway.

Kan turns to Thua to suggest his idea, or more like order it, when he notices the reason for why Thua has been so quiet lately. He's asleep, head resting atop his arms on the table. His position looking rather uncomfortable but his face still relaxed, content.

Kan extends a hand to lightly shake Thua's shoulder, albeit unwillingly since he kind of doesn't want to disturb his peace. God knows all of the guys in his class need as much rest as they can get.
But it will be much better when they can actually lie down in a bed. So he shakes Thua's shoulder and quietly calls his name.

"Thua, hey, wake up. Let's go to bed," Kan hushes. Thua blinks himself awake, stretching his arms and seemingly trying to recognize his surroundings as he enters reality again. He stops turning his head as he notices the light outside the window. Then, he checks his phone and surely enough, it reads 05:25 in angry bold numbers. Thua sighs.

"Don't bother, Kan. It's almost morning, I can just wait for my stepdad to wake up and pick me up. It won't be too long.”

But no, Kan can't do that. What kind of host would he be?

"No way! It's fine, really. You can stay over, I can just fetch the spare blanket and give you some clothes to sleep in. It's no problem", Kan insists.

"Kan, it's fine, just go to sleep. I can find my way out and until then, I can finish up some work while I wait, it's no problem. I promise."

And it sounds reasonable at first; Thua would probably really not have to wait too long. And maybe he also just wants to lie down in his own bed after the tiring week. But Kan doesn't want to imagine Thua's step dad's reaction when alerted so early in the morning– on a Saturday no less. Not that Kan actually knows the man, but judging from the scared look on Thua's face whenever he speaks about him Kan doesn't want to risk it.
No, he can't let this happen. Besides, they can get the rest of the work done in the afternoon after they have gotten some rest. It is only logical for Thua to stay over.

Yes, that's it. Pure logic.

"I won’t send you off to your stepdad while I happily snooze, Thua. What if he gets angry that you contact him so early in the morning? I can't let you risk that," Kan tries convincing the other. "Please don't be so stubborn and just accept my offer. It's literally no trouble at all for me."

Thua avoids his eyes. It's probably not his favorite topic, Kan assumes. He wishes it wasn't that way; Thua doesn't deserve it. No one does, really, but with Thua, Kan can't help but be protective. If he could, he would permanently take Thua away from his stepdad. Take him away and keep him safe forever.

If not forever, then at least for tonight. That, he can do.

"I know how to handle him, Kan. It's okay, you don't have to worry."

"How can I not worry about you when I–", Khan stops in his tracks.

When he what? God, he's in trouble. He's so fucked.
He didn't want it to end like this. Didn't want it in middle school and not when they started sharing a desk recently again.

But he never stood any chance, did he? Not when Thua is so…Thua. And when they just work so well together, when he feels so comfortable in Thua's presence, like he belongs there, right next to him.

Kan can't let him leave. He wants to keep Thua there with him forever, safe from everything and everyone that could hurt him. Thua and his beautiful, pure being. But he knows what that implies and he’s not ready to admit that yet, at least not to Thua.
But tonight, he has an excuse to keep Thua there with him. To take care of him, at least just a little.

"It doesn't matter. Just stay here, it's no trouble,” Khan tries for the last time to convince Thua. He fears he is being a little bit selfish right now, their unfinished project just an excuse that it's okay to ask Thua to stay with him. But he can't help it. He hasn't slept in 24 hours and is almost desperate for it. He searches for Thua's eyes, but they are still looking around the room– the window, his phone, the mess of sheets on the table.

"Don't leave. Please."

"Kan–", Thua answers, his voice sounding heavy now. Pregnant with a deeper meaning that Kan can't quite decipher.

And then, Thua finally looks up and their eyes meet. Kan searches for an answer in them, but finding a gaze that confuses him even more. But one that he also can't seem to look away from. Mesmerized. For a few moments, Kan forgets his surroundings and gets trapped in Thua's eyes. Just them, sitting in between their unfinished work, trying to understand each other without words.
The sky turning blue, light filtering in through the window onto their faces, casting shadows.

And then Thua starts smiling, like he suddenly understood something when their eyes met.

And Kan– well. He thinks he now understands that he likes that look on Thuas face.

That damn smile.

God, he is so fucked.